A Manila solon yesterday urged government to give the implementation of its anti-poverty policies the same level of urgency and importance as the peace and order program currently centered in the anti-drug war.
Rep. Manuel Luis “Manny” Lopez made the call as he batted for the immediate approval of House Bill 4357 or the proposed “on-site, in city and near city resettlement” bill that was recently endorsed by the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development.
Lopez stressed that providing for shelter, jobs, and sufficient food should be foremost among the anti-poverty concerns of the government even as he stressed that the true essence of peace and can only be achieved if the people feel satisfied with their lives economically and poverty reduced.
Lopez, vice chairman of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development, emphasized that there is a strong need to facilitate the implementation of new government policies and enactment of the needed legislation intended to solve and put an end to poverty in the country.
“We need to establish social order first in order for the community to have public order” the administration lawmaker said. (Ben Rosario)